A Letter From the Editor

By: Rachel Pillow
As long as I can remember, fall has always been my favorite season. My sister and I used to get so excited when it started to “smell like fall.” We would eagerly run inside, grab my mom and make her “come outside and smell it!” Joining in our enthusiasm, my mom would point out colorful leaves starting to emerge in our backyard and talk about plans to take us to the pumpkin patch. As much as we liked the pretty, colorful leaves, what we really couldn’t wait for was when they’d get crunchy and fall – so we could rake them up and jump into piles off the back porch. I have to admit, that still sounds pretty fun!
September and October bring beautiful weather to Georgia and I can’t wait to get outside and enjoy it. Yes, tailgating counts as an outdoor activity! With anticipation of the 2015 football season mounting, we set out to gain insight and predictions on the area’s local high school teams. In a rare moment caught on camera, we gathered the Head Coaches of North Gwinnett, Peachtree Ridge, Lanier and Collins Hill for a photo shoot and interviews about the upcoming season. The rival coaches demonstrated sportsmanship and camaraderie during the shoot, but when it came time for interviews – those had to be done separately, seeing as the season had not yet started.
October is national Breast Cancer Awareness month and in this issue we feature two amazing Pink Warriors – Amy Doherty and Tammy Hiler. Through my role with the magazine, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know some incredible people and these women definitely make the top of my list! When I heard the devastating news of Amy’s breast cancer diagnosis last year, my heart sunk. But in true Amy fashion, she lifted it up again with her positive attitude, witty sense of humor, fierceness and strength. Her friend and coworker, Tammy, was fighting cancer at the exact same time and together they formed a sisterhood that inspired the community. Nothing can stop these “cure seekin’ pink lovin’ cancer fighting, strong kinda girls!” In fact, you’ll probably see them running around with the rest of us at Suwanee events this fall. If you do, be sure to congratulate them on officially kicking cancer’s butt!!
The next few months are jam-packed with awesome events in Suwanee and surrounding areas. Be sure to check out our Festival Guide and calendar for information about the area’s best festivals, including: Gwinnett Beer Fest, Suwanee Fest, Jubilee Fall Festival, Suwanee Wine Fest and more! I know I’m not the only one who thinks fall is the best season. And if you don’t agree with me, you might change your mind after flipping through the pages of this issue. There is definitely a lot to look forward to- I can smell it!